Noncrystalline Fe-Si-Al-oxyhydroxides

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy of noncrystalline Fe-Si-Al-oxyhydroxide gels shows a common structure of hollow packed spheres having external diameters ranging from 50 to 1000 Aa. Some sphere walls display a concentric structure, particularly if the gel composition is close to that of a crystalline clay mineral (e.g., smectite, kaolin). The spheres probably formed by expansion of void space (bubbles) as the surrounding gel contracted 5-10% because of partial ordering of the Fe-Si-Al-oxygen network. Much of the water contained in such noncrystalline minerals is incorporated within the bubbles.